Bek Mrjkai Krlsrmko Suadjakai the 66 year old chieftain of the Suadjakai clan has installed H'an of Jelbania. He was elected H'an by the Great Kurultai following the death of the previous winner Zogu Zogsrmko Thaller. He chose to recognise his great-grandfather Manuel-Mrjkai a pretender from around 130 years ago as having been the legitimate H'an. The elder Suadjakai was proclaimed in opposition to the Jeztri tyrant Shlajkai IV. The new H'an's installation marks an end to the half-a-century long republic and monarchists all over the Khanate have rejoiced greatly. The very crowning itself was witnessed by half a million spectators who thronged to the Shrine of the First H'an and later on that of the First Hatun to celebrate the enthronement of his wife as Hatun.

Mrjkai II H'an

The new H'an is a longtime fixture in Jelbek national and local politics and is considered the leader of the traditionalists in the Khanate. He has resisted moves towards reforming the Jelbek government system which is a by-word for anarchy and disorder. The Khanate at 1.4 million sq.km is one of the largest countries in Terra and also one of the least densely populated. To add to that, its population consists of several tribes and clans and also an often explosive urban-rural divide (two thirds of Jelbeks remain wedded to the steppe ) All this has historically made it difficult to create an effective national government; indeed, this has only been realised briefly under charismatic strongmen and women such as Beki Mandkh and the Temrkai-Mede H'ans.

As it is, the H'an only has limited authority which falls heavily on national defence and foreign policy. Almost everything else is handled by the taghe (regional governments), the clans at various and maddeningly numerous levels. For instance in the Suadjakai territories, an average clansman will find himself under the authority of a "local yurt camp" Bek who has authority over a few dozen related families. Next will be a district wide Bek, then a regional one and finally the big man of the clan the Bek. All these have jealously guarded powers and responsibilities and have historically been willing to violently oppose any unwanted attempts at centralisation or the creation of a centralised bureaucracy. Some believe that the new H'an once aware of the realities that the lack of a strong government imposes on the Khanate, will try to tap into his credibility and authority with the clans to change this somehow.

Government Criticised Over "Feckless Response" To FloodingJanuary 4344

The Khanate has been rocked by several protests over the Government's failure to respond to the recent flooding in the south east of the country. The floods struck the south east, killing dozens and disrupting several local settlements. Tens of thousands were affected and left stranded and angry when the Government failed to dispatch any relief and only managed to deploy troops in the area some four days after the floods struck. The Government blames the chaotic system of federalism in the Khanate which saw several conflicting and underfunded levels of government fail to act while of course the national government itself is kept on a tight fiscal leash by the Kurultai. The Kurultai recently abolished the income tax, cut public spending to the barest minimum and has been vigorously and chaotically devolving numerous powers to clans, regions, towns and other settlements.

Flood hit Brnfiàsrl

Speaking in a national address, the H'an has asked the country to conduct some soul-searching over its future and ask itself what kind of nation it wants to be. He has called for a more organised system of government and greater cooperation between different spheres of government. The Kurultai has rejected all criticism and accused the Government of "chronic inefficiency" and announced its intention to make further savings and relieve the citizens of "tax tyranny". The Kurultai of course remains a bastion of elitism and non-responsiveness. All its members and electors are landowners, many of them the greatest of Jelbek nobles and businesspersons. Only a small percentage of Jelbeks are landowners, with the vast majority either serfs or poor city dwellers.

The H'an despite his words is thought to be still intent on maintaining the current social order and political system as far as possible while addressing only the most pressing of concerns. Such a view is not shared by many in the country and a growing faction at the royal court also opposes this. The H'an's presumptive, his son H'ansrmko (Prince) Manil is thought to be a leading dissenter and has called for numerous reforms aimed at pushing government in a more rational and centralised manner. A Vanukean educated and well-traveled man, the H'ansrmko is believed to be allied with a number of other prominent groups in the civil service, lower nobility and some nationalist organisations. For the flooding, he put his words into action and his charity managed to raise 5 million LOD in 3 days and did nearly as much as the Government ended up doing with food and relocation aid. It remains to be seen just how the situation will be resolved but once is for sure, the Khanate finds itself at crossroads once again over this most thorny of issues.

The H'an's heir presumptive and son, H'ansrmko (Prince) Manil has been appointed by Wrntusrljikai. The H'an released a statement saying that he was retiring from active politics and would hand over control of the government to his son. The 36 year old H'ansrmko is the leader of reformists within the royal camp and advocates a powerful and centralised monarchy for the Khanate. This view is shared by many in the lower nobility and urban middle classes - indeed many of his Mnistrs are from the two classes. As for the takeover itself, many have speculated on just how voluntary it was. Several military units were seen shuffling about the capital and the H'ansrmko was spotted meeting several Horde commanders before his elevation to power. The Horde is a hotbed of Jelbek nationalism and many junior officers especially enthusiastically support the installation of a strong executive government. The H'an's supporters largely consist of the great Beks, major landowners and many of his fellow Suadjakai clansmen. The faction was caught quite unprepared and many of them were attending the H'an at his court and appear now be confined at the Purple Palace.

The government reforms in the Khanate have gathered a great deal of momentum since the appointment of H'ansrmko Manil Suadjakai as Wrntusrljikai. Contrary to the fire and sword approach that the H'ansrmko had been expected to take in his approach to the clan nobility, he has followed a much subtler approach to the challenge. He has persuaded, coerced and driven by a variety of method, the nobility to submit to the creation of a strong national government. Much of the carrot has, of course, been the offer of several fiscal incentives. The lowest rank of chieftains (Tajs) were offered generous pensions in exchange for applying a government drafted legal code in their small local courts in the Great Reform Ukaz - a series of royal decrees approved by the Kurultai.

This appeasement of the tajis couldn't be more different to the approach towards the middle and high ranking chieftains (Beijes and Beks) These found themselves ordered to attend the royal court for at least six months a year and threatened with arrest. This divided the nobility and without the lower nobility supporting it, the great nobles could do little but rush off to the Purple Palace to submit and claim their apartments, military commissions and other perks. They gave up many of their judicial and executive duties to the State which reassigned some to the newly restored taghelyk (provincial) governments. The heads of these will be appointed by the H'an.

The Purple Palace

As for the Kurultai, the legislative body initially resisted the H'ansrmko's demands. This resistance lasted only until the H'ansrmko threatened to grant 10 million acres of government-owned land to landless peasants who upon receiving that land would become landowners and eligible to participate in Kurultai elections. The horrified and rigidly elitist Kurultai immediately agreed to support the H'ansrmko's tax and budget reforms which saw the country's national budget nearly quadrupled and a 10% flat tax imposed on most incomes. The Kurultai managed to negotiate several exemptions for landowners and nobles meaning that much of the actual tax burden will fall on the middle and working classes. The H'ansrmko accepted this compromise.

The reforms, once implemented, will see the a near complete reversal of the former situation where the central government spent 20% of all government spending to one where such is increased to near 60% of all government spending. Despite this immense centralisation, the Khanate retains one of the smallest governments in Terra with total public spending estimated at around 22% of GDP. Many have questioned the concessions and pensions granted to nobles but the H'ansrmko's supporters have defended these as necessary for a peaceful and consensus-based state formation.

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With the clans largely pacified and reconciled to the "new order" of things, the Government has now turned to stimulating the Jelbek economy. One of the worst performers in the past half a century (average 1.3% annual growth vs 2.1% annual population growth) the Jelbek economy's lack of growth means that over the past 50 years living standards have stagnated and even fallen in some cases. This has created a morose population, which while appreciative of the end of "feudal anarchy" under the Suadjakais, remain mired in economic misery.

Jrka Gold Mine in central Jelbania

With characteristic energy the H'ansrmko Manil Suadjakai has identified the problem as tied to the Khanate's former administrative anarchy. This problem is now mostly a thing of the past and now is the time to notify Terra that the Khanate's open for business. The country retains a large untapped bounty of metals particularly in the south western parts. The black soil of the steppe is notoriously fertile but little of its potential has been developed due to the continued use of ancient, inefficient and environmentally hazardous farming methods. It is hoped that a mining boom could fund considerable agricultural modernisation and perhaps deal with the permament headache issue of serfdom which remain prevalent in many parts of rural Jelbania. With the southern war between Deltaria and Kalopia, the H'ansrmko hopes that the rising prices for various ferrous and non-ferrous metals will result in an investment boom for the Khanate. In anticipation of this, he has targeted the Board of Foreign Investments, reforming it extensively and introducing a new fast-track procedure for the investment clearing process.

Another problem which remains is a lack of skilled and qualified manpower. Everything from public departments to small and medium enterprises find themselves chronically short of skilled labour. The obvious solution - education will take too long for the H'ansrmko's plans to rapidly modernise the economy and so he is also planning to attract skilled foreign workers to the country and has started a campaign aimed at advertising the Khanate as a "rising Wolf Economy" with some of the lowest taxes on the Majatran continent (10% flat tax on income, sales and corporate profits) The adverts which are largely targeting the Jelbic world have also been displayed in the ex-colonies. The H'ansrmko has set the ambitious goal of reaching a 5% average annual growth in the next ten years and some analysts believe that this is achievable given the low base the Khanate's rising from.

H'ansrmko Manil, 40 has been elected H'an by the Kurultai in a unanimous and historic election. The prince replaced his father Mrjkai II Han who died after a reign of just under six years at the age of 73. The election was historical in the sense that the Kurultai "devolved" its power to elect future H'ans to the reigning H'an. Thus from now on, only the H'an will be able to "elect" his own heir. In all fairness, the Kurultai has historically preferred electing blood relatives of the H'an as heirs but the whole election system has been viewed as destabilising and prone to sparking post-election conflict.

Manil H'an

The new H'an is married to Princess Yehenara of Bianjie and the two have a two year old daughter H'andrsme (Princess) Pawlin. Unlike his predecessors, the H'an has refused to take on hundreds of concubines and clans no longer have to submit their daughters as lesser wives nor their sons as hostages since the clan Beks themselves serve as very comfortable hostages at the royal court. As for public affairs, the H'an has announced that he will appoint a Wrntusrljikai to replace him as head of government once he is enthroned at the Shrine of the First H'an early next year. This move would appear to be in alignment with his oft-declared intent to "resist absolutism and aim for balanced government instead" Yet the dynamic new H'an will possess formidable powers in his own right, particularly over security and foreign policy.

There is still much to be done and many feel a strong figure at the top is still needed to push through the necessary reforms. The cult of a "H'an father" is strong and many common folk feel that it is a H'an's primary duty to dominate his government and keep the clan aristocrats in check. Among the top issues, economic reform, serfdom and modernisation of several public institutions remain pressing matters. Centralisation may have cured the chaos of anarchy but these problems are no less painful.

In the first notable act of his reign, H'an Manil has appointed a new Wrntusrljikai (Premier, lit. Forward Souled Person) The H'an choose Evis Nubajrka his longtime advisor on domestic policy. Nubajrka who was also ennobled as a Taj at his appointment, is the monarch's close ally and fellow reformer. It will prove his first cabinet job and he has identified his priorities as continuing the centralisation reforms by "herding" provincial and local governments in the Local Government Act and other measures. There also remains the vital task of finishing the creation, rather restoration of the national police force the Mounted Police. Cross-jurisdictional crime and the general fecklessness of the local police forces have made this move a great priority for the national government.

Taj Evis Nubajrka

As for the H'an himself, it remains unclear how he will exercise his new role as monarch. His father's passive attitude to public affairs is unlikely to be his way. His abiding passion and boundless energy for reform make it likely that he will remain closely interested in domestic affairs despite his professed intention to entrust his wide powers to the Council of Mnistrs. Palace watchers see the H'an being driven to dwell into foreign policy which he has expressed a dislike of and has generally ignored while in office. Indeed the Khanate has remain uncharacteristically silent on regional affairs, the main focus of its current policy is attracting investment from various economic powers. This is signified by the upcoming state visit to the Khanate by an Indralan delegation led by the Crown Prince Sun Kai where the H'an, hardly an entertainer by nature, has laid out the full red carpet treatment for all involved. He and his Mnistrs hope that the Dovani power will lead the way on investment and push up the already rising economic growth further.

Tensions have risen within the reformists following the release of a report measuring the Khanate's progress since the institution of reforms in 4345. The report by the Royal Commission on National Progress founded that while reforms had improved the economy significantly, the net results remain underwhelmingly below what would be expected at this state. Growth has risen from around 1.8% to 2.9%, much lower than the "six or seven percent" that the Government had vowed to reach by now. The Institute of Economic Analysis recommends at least 4.5% growth for the Khahate if true material progress is to be appreciably realised over population growth and inflation.

Manil H'an

It is not a shortage of foreign or local investment throttling growth. There has infact been a large increase in foreign direct investment with key economic powers like Indrala, Vanuku, Istalia and Dankuk committing and delivering several billions in investments into the country. Istalia, a strong backer of the Istalian-rooted Suadjakai monarchy has invested in numerous economic sectors with the Istalian automotive giant ESTALeven boldly deciding to open an assembly line for its new car model "Sfida". Gruppo Minerario di Padagna has declared its interest in the Khanate's mineral-rich south west. The Indralans in their recent state visit not only signed a free trade agreement with the Khanate but also pledged and delivered on several and diverse investments. Several nobles are shifting from their traditional serf-dependent agricultural ventures to more modern and mechanised agriculture which has raised the hope that it might just be the market that emancipates the serfs after all and not some directive from the Government.

The main problem which has prevented the economy's takeoff is among the more radical reformist the reluctance to conduct more advanced and political reforms. The radicals led by Wrntusrljikai Evis Nubajrka are much enamoured of former Brmek President Imran Shahran - the radical reforming leader who pushed through various reforms during his six year tenure. They admire him so much that they are often called "Shahrankai." They call for the introduction of a full and codified constitution, universal suffrage and citizenship, the withdrawal of all noble privileges, emancipation of the serfs and anti-corruption measures. This, a more pragmatic faction led informally by the H'an himself is opposed to.

The pragmatists believe that reform must be introduced slowly and view the centralisation reforms as radical enough for now. The pragmatists point to the rise of socialism in Deltaria and Shahran's own defeat in Barmenia as events supporting their call for remaining "slow and steady" deeming the radicals to be impatient and too pessimistic. This has created a great deal of tension between the factions and their leaders. Some level of deadlock appears to have developed and the failure to tackle endemic corruption and the inefficiencies which were a price for centralisation means that uncertainty and misallocation of resources reign.

Manil H’an has decided to depart from his hitherto “hyper-cautious” and limited foreign policy of multilateral engagement with economic powers. The rise of the Deltarian civil war between the Czar and his socialist opponents has led the H’an to declare forcefully in favour of the monarchists. The H’an has moved to send financial and military aid to Czar Nikolai and has reserved the option of sending of a volunteer expeditionary force to the territories under the Czar. The force would likely be composed mostly of ultramontanist Hosian (TPC) Jelbeks who are concerned about the effect of a socialist Deltaria not only on the monarchy but also on the Papez in Dolinka.

The H’an and his Mnistrs are deeply concerned about the various revolutionary activity in the region and view monarchy as threatened. The Vanukean monarchy is still facing off a socialist (among others) challenge. Jelbania itself also faced a small weak socialist movement which was disbanded after a few years. The Government fears that the success of such a movement in either of its two neighbours will naturally lead to similar results in the Khanate especially with an increasing number of disillusioned radical reformists. Many reformists fear that this regional chaos will destroy the H'an's passion for reform entirely and lead to the predominance of reaction in the Government.

The H'an has also sent his younger brother Prince Andrj to Bianjie to try and convince the Banners to remove Dorbo Khan and install the H'an's brother-in law Crown Prince Taksi. This step, while much more limited than the full invasion advocated by the Hatun and her supporters, marks a definite departure from the previous policy of virtual silence.

H'an Congratulates New Trigunian Monarch

Sword of Temrkai

The H'an has expressed great joy at the restoration of monarchy in Trigunia and has sent effusive congratulations to the soon to be crowned Grand Prince-Tsar Arkadiy of the old Rothingren-Traugott dynasty . In a message to the Trigunian people, the H'an praised them for "restoring the only virtuous and true form of government" and in a every elaborate statement, the H'an sent 7 Beks to the northern nation to convey his conghratulations and deliver his gifts which included an antique gold plated sword which once belonged to Temrkai the Great Khan, a large jade and several cartons of the finest Jelbek fermented horse milk. An invitation to visit the Khanate was also extended to the new monarch once he takes office.

The death of Prince Andrj, 40 has angered many at the Jelbek royal court with some calling for outright war with Bianjie. The Prince and three high ranking Bianjin military commanders died in a bombing attack which Jelbania has blamed on agents of the Dorbo Khan regime. So far Jelbania has announced its intention to recognise the Hatun's brother Crown Prince Taksi as the new Khan of Bianjie. The Crown Prince arrived in Baofluz yesterday and was treated like a visiting head of state. He has been granted an apartment in the Purple Palace and the H'an solemnly vowed to restore him to his throne by any means necessary. The apparent end of the Deltarian civil war and crisis frees the H'an's hands and allows him to focus on the Bianjin crisis instead.